The first steal was downright brilliant basketball. James brought the ball up the court and went to the right side of the top of the key. Heat guard Ray Allen set a soft pick, then rolled out along the three-point line. West saw this play coming. As Lance Stephenson, who had been guarding Allen, fronted James, West threw his arms up while heading toward Allen on the switch. His timing was perfect, even if the Pacers didn't do anything with the possession except waste time before a 24-second violation.

After that violation, James again brought the ball up. This time, he dribbled into the post, then pivoted, looking for a teammate. West instinctively guessed he might be looking for Allen on the wing again, and he guessed right. The ball landed in George Hill's hands, and he made both free throws to seal the win. The play was one part brilliant scouting, one part luck.

But so much of basketball is just that. The Pacers play defense well because they are so smart, along with having West and Hill and Paul George and Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson, all outstanding one-on-one defenders. And they've done their homework on the best player in the world.

But James is just that. He will adjust. He can adjust. There really isn't anything he can't do on a basketball court. And the Pacers didn't exactly limit him. He made play after play, including an absurd crosscourt pass on the final play of the first half that almost no other player in NBA history would have been able to see and then deliver.

James will evolve. He will find ways to beat West and the Pacers. And they will learn from that tape and find ways to stop him. This is going to be an interesting series.

Hibbert is absurdly tall. The 7-2 Pacers center was the tallest starter in the NBA playoffs, but that didn't matter as much against 7-1 Tyson Chandler and the New York Knicks. Against the Heat, who don't have a 7-footer on the roster, it's a big deal. Hibbert had 19 points in the first half and finished with 29 and 10 rebounds. He shot 10-for-15 from the field and 9-for-10 from the line. That's not bad for a guy whose name is just being learned by some NBA experts.

Chris Bosh at 6-11 can't match up with him. Chris "Birdman" Andersen at 6-10 can't match up with him. Joel Anthony at 6-9 can't match up with him, and who wants him on the floor? So Hibbert owns the paint, going 9-for-11 immediately around the basket.

Who does George remind you of? The comparison that sticks out is some cross between Scottie Pippen and Tracy McGrady, but the Pacers' lone All-Star isn't as good as either. Unless he is. The man has gone toe-to-toe with James all series, even earning some respect from his rival. And he's still really young.